AGENCIES: Iran stepped up activity at its underground Fordow nuclear plant early on Thursday – a move France said showed for the first time that Tehran explicitly planned to quit a historic deal with world powers that curbed its disputed nuclear work.

“With the presence of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran started injecting [uranium] gas into centrifuges in Fordow,” state television reported.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran also confirmed the operation, which it said started at 00:00 local time on Thursday (20;30 GMT on Wednesday) following the transfer of 2,800kg (6,172lbs) cylinder containing 2,000kg (4,409lbs) of uranium hexafluoride from Natanz nuclear facility to Fordow.